Title III Grant
Grant Overview
In Fall 2023, Hazard Community and Technical College was awarded a $2.25 million grant
throughthe U.S. Department of Education’s Title III Strengthening Institutions Program.
The grant is payable over five years, beginning on October 1, 2023, and lasting through
September 30, 2028. The project is titled Growing HCTC Capacity Through Retention
and Sponsored Projects. The grant has two activities: Activity A: Retention Initiatives
and Activity B: Creation of the Office of Sponsored Projects.
Title III funding provides HCTC with a transformative opportunity to enhance its retention
efforts and strengthen its academic, fiscal, and management capacities.
The Project Leadership Team, headed by Title III Project Director Lois Puffer, oversees
the project's management. Supporting this effort are the Steering Committee and the
Retention Team, which also play key roles in guiding and implementing project initiatives.
The grant funds five positions: Retention Coordinator (Alexandra Miller, Activity
A Lead), Retention Media Specialist (Misty Lewis), Grants Manager (Tabitha Haddix,
Activity B Lead), Grants Data Manager (Michaelle Sandlin), and Private Foundation
Grant Writer (VACANT).
Grant Years:
Year 1: October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024
Year 2: October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025
Year 3: October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026
Year 4: October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027
Year 5: October 1, 2027 – September 30, 2028
Long-Term Impact of the Title III Grant on HCTC
Institutional Culture Shift Toward Embedded Retention
- Transition from a retention model siloed in Student Services to one embedded across all college units.
- Provide retention-focused professional development for faculty and staff.
- Engage faculty in identifying and integrating retention strategies into:
- Course design
- Instructional materials
- Learning management systems
- Foster a college-wide culture of retention, making student success a shared responsibility.
Enhanced Institutional Fiscal Stability and Effectiveness
- Improve sponsored project management to support institutional growth.
- Equip staff with skills in:
- Efficient project planning
- Systematic project execution
- Fiscal accountability
- Extend project management practices beyond Title III to other initiatives.
- Promote a sustainable culture of success through improved institutional effectiveness.
Project Leadership Team
Steering Committee
retention team
Activity A: Retention Initiatives
Led by Title III Retention Coordinator, Alexandra Miller
Activity A focuses on strengthening HCTC’s retention efforts. This activity has included expanding Retention Services with an emphasis on improving course completion, retention, and graduation rates. Initiatives will utilize success coaching and other student support strategies. Additional capacity is being built through new personnel (as mentioned above), professional development, and outreach promotion. The project also includes expanding Success Zones at both the Technical Campus and the Lees College Campus.
Activity B: Office of Sponsored Projects
Led by Grants Manager, Tabitha Haddix
Activity B establishes a centralized Office of Sponsored Projects, under which all HCTC grants will now fall. This office will increase the number of private foundation dollars awarded to the institution and expand the number of HCTC faculty and staff equipped to manage sponsored projects. Through training and infrastructure development, the initiative seeks to create a culture of efficient and systematic sponsored project management, enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of funded efforts.
FIVE-YEAR OBJECTIVES
Five-Year Objective #1:
By Fall 2028, 62% of First-Time Credential Seeking Students will have been retained or completed their program of study by the following Fall compared to a Fall 2022 baseline of 50%.
Five-Year Objective #2:
By Fall 2028, 39% of Spring First-Time Credential Seeking Students will have been retained or completed their program of study by the following Fall, compared to a Fall 2022 baseline of 34%.
Five-Year Objective #3:
By Fall 2028, 36% of Fall First-Time Students on SAP Warn who participate in other retention strategies will be retained by the following Fall, compared to a Fall 2022 baseline of 25%.
Five-Year Objective #4:
By Fall 2028, English 101 online pass rates (ABCD) will increase from a Fall 2023 baseline of 67% to 75%. Fall 2023 Online Sections Baseline: 67% English 101, Fall 2028 Online Sections Target: 75%
Five-Year Objective #6:
By Fall 2028, Math 150 online pass rates (ABCD) will increase from a Fall 2023 baseline of 52% 61 to 69%. Fall 2023 Online Sections Baseline: 61% Math 150, Fall 2028 Online Sections Target: 69%
Five-Year Objective #7:
By Fall 2028, decrease the number of no-cost extensions on sponsored projects to 1. (Baseline 3 in 2022-2023).
Five-Year Objective #8:
Increase tuition revenue by $152,880 per year beginning in year 2, based on an increase of 35 additional first-time students retained.12 credit hours per semester, two semesters, and $182 per credit hour.
Objective
Beginning in Year 2, there will be an increase of 35 additional First-Time, Full-Time Credential-Seeking Students, per two semesters Fall and Spring.
ANNUAL ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES
Activity Objective #1:
By Fall 2028, Spring First-Time [Credential-Seeking] Students who receive retention services will show a 5-percentage point increase in retention to the following Spring. Baseline: 43% [Spring 2022 to Spring 2023]
Activity Objective #2:
By Fall 2028, the pass rate (ABCD) in the following Gatekeeper Courses will increase by 8 percentage points over the Fall 2023 baseline listed by class. Baseline: 70% English 101; 56% Math 146; 62% Math 150.
Activity Objective #3:
By Fall 2028, 36% of Fall First-Time [Credential-Seeking] Students on SAP Warn who participate in retention strategies will be retained by the following Fall, compared to a Fall 2022 baseline. Baseline: 25% Fall 2022.
Activity Objective #4:
By Fall 2028, 62% of Fall First-Time Credential-Seeking Students have been retained or completed their program of study [a short-term certificate] by the following Fall 2022 baseline. Baseline: 50% Fall 2022.
Activity Objective #5:
By Fall 2028, 53% of [Summer/Fall] First-Time, Full-Time Degree-Seeking [Credential-Seeking] Students who complete their program of study within 150% [(3 years)] of normal time to completion, compared to a Fall 2019 baseline rate (IPEDS). Baseline: 44% IPEDS Fall 2019.
Activity Objective #6:
By Fall 2028, data requests and reporting for grant/sponsored projects will be provided on time. Baseline to be determined in Fall 2023 through a project management tracking system.
Activity Objective #7:
By Fall 2028, there will be a 10-percentage point increase in the number of HCTC sponsored projects/grant applications submitted to private foundations and organizations from the Year 1 (2023-24) Baseline of 22%. Year 5 (2027-28) Target: 32%
Activity Objective #8:
By Fall 2028, because of training and support from the office of Sponsored Projects, there will be a decrease in the number of reports that are turned in late, requests for extensions, and missed deadlines for all special projects and grants.
